Essendon big man Jake Carlisle joined teammates at training on Tuesday morning in a bid to prove his fitness for Saturday’s clash against Gold Coast at Etihad Stadium.

Carlisle is in line to take on the Suns after returning to the training track following back spasms suffered last week.

The 22-year-old forward moved freely on the training track joining in running and skill work throughout the light session.

Club doctor Bruce Reid said Carlisle would be given the full week to prove his fitness to take on the Suns.

“He is much better today, he is out there running and at this stage we are avoiding anything where he is bending forward,” Reid said.

“We will see how he progresses and if he is right later in the week he will play, if he is not right he won’t play.”

“It is too early to tell but he is very much better.”

Dustin Fletcher is continuing his recovery from surgery to repair a torn tendon in a finger on his right hand.

Reid said the surgery was Fletcher’s only real option of recovery.

“Dustin is doing fine,” Reid said.

“He dislocated his finger but at the time he tore a tendon on the top of his finger which needed repairing.

“He really didn’t have a choice.”

Tayte Pears will undergo more surgery to repair a shoulder later this week as he looks to return to full fitness in time for the start of the 2015 pre-season campaign.

“Tayte’s surgery to his achillies has done very well and now next week because he has had an unstable shoulder this year he will see Greg Hoy to have surgery.”

“That surgery will happen next week so that he is ready to go come November.”

In further injury news young midfielder Nick O’Brien fractured his thumb last Saturday and will miss the remainder of the season as the fracture heals.